The Hacklemesh Weaver spider builds a tangled mess of spider silk into a fluffy web that traps insects.

This small brown spider is sometimes mistaken for a Brown Recluse, but it lacks the dark 'violin' silhouette. In addition, Hacklemesh Weavers have a lighter pattern of chevrons on their abdomen not seen in the Brown Recluse. Like almost every North American spider, it is venomous, but it is not poisonous like the Recluse. Hacklemesh Weavers are not aggressive.

They are small spiders that build silken webs that they tease out into a big mass with one of their legs, like a hair stylist with a comb. Unlike orb weavers whose intricate spiral strands create an almost invisible web, hacklemesh webs lack symmetry and design. Despite their lack of elegance, they are still quite effective at catching insect prey.

Hacklemesh Weavers can be found in woodlands under stones and logs, on tree bark or on branches. They sometimes wander into basements and cellars to make a home.

Basic Information

Common Name: Hacklemesh Weaver

Scientific Name:Callobius spp.

Category: Spider

General Identification

Size (Adult; Length): 6mm to 11mm (0.23in to 0.43in)

Identifying Colors: brown, red, tan

Additional Descriptors: biting, venomous, hairy

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Arachnida

Order:Araneae

Family:Amaurobiidae

Genus:Callobius

Species:spp.

Spider Anatomy (Typical)

1

Legs: Spiders have four pairs of legs and these are attached to the cephalothorax.

2

Pedipalps: Small appendages near the mouth used as taste and smell organs.

3

Cephalothorax: Contains eyes, head, mouthparts, and legs.

4

Abdomen: Contains various organs related to digestion, reproduction, and web-making.

5

Spinnerets: Used in the production of spider silk for fashioning webs or catching prey.

NOTE: Unlike insects, spiders have both an endoskeleton (internal) and exoskeleton (external).

Territorial Reach (A-to-Z)

Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed below as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections below indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.

The map below showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Hacklemesh Weaver may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some species are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America.